Detroit Police Chief Ralph Godbee suspended amid sex scandal allegations

DETROIT (WXYZ) - Detroit Mayor Dave Bing has suspended Police Chief Ralph Godbee for 30 days on the heels of the 7 Action News Investigators breaking a story about a sex scandal brewing around Detroit's top cop.

Bing released the following statement just a short time ago:

Chief Godbee has been suspended with pay. He is accused of having relationships with Angelica Robinson, a Detroit Police officer, and another woman who does not work for the department.

Sources tell 7 Action News that Robinson is assigned to Internal Affairs and has been dating Chief Godbee for about a year.

7 Action News has learned that Godbee and his wife, Yolanda Godbee, are in the middle of a divorce. Court records show that the couple filed for divorce in August and the action is still ongoing.

Sources tell 7 Action News that Godbee and his wife have not lived together for over a year. Sources also say that Godbee is not in a relationship with Officer Robinson.

The scandal began to break Tuesday when Officer Robinson discovered that Godbee was out of town at a Police Officer's Conference in San Diego, allegedly with another woman. Robinson then started posting tweets exposing her relationship with the chief.

There are no policies that prohibit command officers from dating subordinates, but it can cause a major conflict of interest. 

Sources also tell 7 Action News that Officer Robinson became distraught and police came to believe she may harm herself.

Police confiscated the Officer Robinson's department-issued weapon and sent her for a mental evaluation as a precaution, sources also say.

7 Action News was first to report that Godbee's predecessor, former Chief Warren Evans was forced to resign after he did a sizzle reel for a possible reality show about being Detroit's Police Chief and for having a relationship with Officer Monique Patterson.

Detroit Mayor Dave Bing then appointed Chief Ralph Godbee to replace Evans. Godbee later acknowledged he too had had a relationship with Patterson.  7 Action News contacted both Chief Godbee and the Mayor’s office.

We have not yet received a response from Chief Godbee.